Prison psychologist says William Merriweather fit to be tried in killing of 2 Bessemer bank tellers

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- A federal prison psychologist testified Monday that when she evaluated a man charged with killing two tellers during a Bessemer bank robbery he did not suffer a mental illness and was competent to stand trial.

Christina Pietz, a psychologist with the U.S. Medical Center for federal prisoners in Springfield, Mo., was the first witness called by federal prosecutors in a hearing to determine whether William Merri­weather Jr. is competent to stand trial. The hearing, which is expected to con­tinue into next week, is be­ing held before U.S. Dis­trict Court Judge David Proctor at the Hugo L.

Black U.S. Courthouse in Birmingham.

Merriweather faces the death penalty on federal charges in the May 14, 2007 robbery of the Wachovia Bank on Ninth Avenue in Bessemer. Tellers Eva Hudson and Sheila Prevo were killed dur­ing the robbery.

The U.S. Attorneys Office has said it will seek the death penalty in the case.

About 20 relatives of Hudson and Prevo were in the courtroom Monday for the hearing.

This week's hearing is being held to consider a motion filed by Merriweather's attorneys asking that Merriweather be de­clared incompetent to stand trial. The mo­tion asks that Merriweather be remanded to the custody of the attorney general for placement at a federal mental health facility until competency is restored.

Pietz said she evaluated Merriweather at the prison medical center during a period of 75 days from Nov. 2, 2007 to Jan. 14, 2008. Based on that evaluation, which included multiple interviews with Merriweather and observations by staff, and a review of investigation documents, she said it was her opinion that he did not have a mental illness.

Merriweather, who had a history of drug use dating back to when he was 14 years old, did have a druginduced psychosis that was in remission when she did her evaluation, Pietz said. "I do think he was slightly depressed," she said.

Merriweather understood the court system based on testing, Pietz testified.

Richard Jaffe, one of the attorneys for Merriweather, questioned Pietz about her conclusions, a couple of incidents that occurred at the prison, and about reports from other psychologists who evaluated Merriweather. Jaffe asked her about one report from a psychologist who had found that Merriweather was incompetent to stand trial.

"When I evaluated him he was competent," Pietz testified.

Jaffe asked Pietz about one incident at the medical center for prisoners on Dec. 28, 2007 in which Merriweather reported he had seen gremlins crouching in the corner of his room.

Pietz said that the psychologist on duty had reported that claim as "suspect" on a report. Merriweather also had been seen using a spork -- combination spoon-fork -- to scrape his forearms and complained that there were bugs in his room, Pietz testified.

Pietz said it is rare for individuals with a mental illness to experience hallucinations, which is more associated with drug use.

Other witnesses, including other psychologists who evaluated Merriweather, will be called throughout the remainder of the hearing.

Court documents in the case cite one preliminary assessment report submitted by Kimberly Ackerson, a forensic psychologist. The order said Merriweather reported experiencing paranoia and hallucinations, including hearing voices.

Merriweather also is charged in Jefferson County Circuit Court with capital murder and other charges. But the charges are on hold pending the outcome of the federal charges against Merriweather.